moore



F. W. MOORE.

FLOOR, WALL, 0R LIKE COVERING.

APPLICATION men MAY 21. 1915 1,394,083. Patented May 20, 191-9.

WITNESSES:

1N VEN TOR.

TORNEY. I

tion to display ornamentation STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK W. MOORE, OF NEW YORKyIT. Y.

FLOOR, WALL, on LIKE COVERING.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. MOORE, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city, county, and State ofv New York, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Floor, Wall, or like Coverings,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to floor, wall or like coverings having patterns,figures or similar ornamentations inlaid upon their surfaces, and anobject of my invention, among others, is to produce a covering of thischar acter that shall comprise a practically homogeneous sheet ofmaterial having the ornamentation displayed in different colors; and afurther object of my invention is to so construct such a sheet astopermit of a new order of designs that do not spread one into the otherirregularly, and that shall preserve the homogeneous and ornamentalcharacteristics throughout extended wear.

A covering embodying my invention, and in the construction and use ofwhich the objects herein set out, as well as others may be attained, isillustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is aperspective view of a por tion of a sheet of material partially formedto embody my invention,

. Fig. 2 is a like view showing the sheet in completed form.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1,-but showing a somewhat differentconfiguration, with wide depressions. I

Fig. 4 is a view similar to the others, but

showing ornamentations depicted by inlay appearing on both surfaces ofthe sheet, one surface of which is supplied with a backing.

Fig. 5 is a view in section through a sheet showing in dotted line theplane of separaon the surface of both pieces. k a

Fig. 6 isa view showing the ornamented surface of both pieces of saidsheet.

My invention contemplates such treat- .ment and manipulation of sheetsof material to comprise floor, wall or like coverings as will producenovel configurations and designs of permanent character, the inventionalso enabling extremely intricate and fine lined designs to be producedand inlaid in a simple and efficient manner, and without spreadingirregularlyinto one another. My invention is not limited in itsapplication to coverings having any special characteristics,

but a clear understanding of its nature and sheet.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented May 20, 1919, Applicationfiled May 21, 1915. Serial no. 29,630.

preserve theoriginal characteristicsof the sheet as to density. Theportion of the sheet just described I term the foundation portion, inthat it receives and supports the filling to be hereinafter described,the other portion of the sheet constituting the base 13, from which theelevations rise and which underlies the depressions, these two portionsof the sheet forming an integral, in-

v separable whole. The sheet having the for mation above described maybe made in various ways but it is preferably formed by me when in apliable and flexible condition, such as sheets of linoleum or similarmaterial'have at one time in the process of making, it being possiblefor me to secure better results when the sheets are in this condition.

After a. sheet is formed as above de scribed a filling material 14: ofcontrasting color is placed within the formed depressions to fill them,.this material being of such consistency that it will adhere to and forman inseparable part of ,the original sheet. The materials comprising theoriginal sheet and the filling may have the same, or substantially thesame characteristics, so long as they are such as to form an intimateand inseparable combination or union, and it will be understood that theone material will be in such condition when placed together with theother and subsequently compressed to readily and thoroughly unite oramalgamate at the meeting edges without disturbing the outline of thefoundation Afterthe filling has been placed in the depressions the sheetis then, by preference, compressed and the surface is then smoothed offin any suitable manner to ration or ornamentation on the right side ofthe sheet, that is, that surface havingat. a v

vations and depressions.

The invention also contemplates the cutpreliminary step in the operationthe ele-' ting away or smoothing'ofi of the opposite surface 19 or baseof the sheet from that above described and to such an extent as to .seenthat the filling cut into the filling 20 so that the latter will appearupon this surface of the sheet, and as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.It will be will thus appear upon both surfaces of the sheet, one ofwhich surfaces will preferably be covered with webbing or burlap 21 orother suitable material, and when the depressions are formed withtapered side walls, as above described,

bottom and extended to that portion of the filling appearing upon thisside 19 of the sheet will be narrower as a consequence than thatappearing on the opposite side of the sheet and present wedge-shapedbearings one to the other and advantageous towear and servige.

In some cases, in forming the depressions and elevations, the edges ofthe elevations are preferably tapered so that they are wider at thebottom to support them under compression, and the filling willconsequently be wider at the top of the depres-' sions than at the baseof the sheet.

In the sheet illustrated .in Fig. 3 of the drawings the foundationcomprises elevations of much less area than the depressions, theseelevations 15, as shown, representing ridges of irregular shapes andfanciful designs narrower at the top than at the depressions 16.

The invention makes possible a very thin sheet of inlay in large areas,as by deposit-1 ing a filling 17 upon the surface of a founda-- tionsheet 18 prepared with depressions and' be brought out on one surface ofboth of the pieces of the same character and of the same predetermineddesign as appeared upon the original sheet and as shown in Figs. 5 and6.

While I have shown and described my invention herein asembodied in asheetof material of a construction that produces satisfactory results,this may be departed from to a greater or lesser degree and yet bewithin the spirit and intent of the invention, and the latter istherefore not limited to a sheet constructed exactly as herein shown-anddescribed.

I claim I .1. sheet or layer formed of plastic material of resilientconsistency having depressions extending partially through the sheet andformed by the removal of portions of the substance of said "sheetwithout Emater ally changing the density of the other bound and definethe portions of the sheet, said removed portions 1 eing replaced bysubstance of acontrasting color and of substantially the same resiliencyand consistency intimately and inseparably united therewith, theconfigurations of said filling being determined by the shape and outlineof the ridges of the foundation sheet and the depthof the depressions.

2. A sheet or'layer formed of plastic material of resilient consistencyhaving a foundation construction of raised and intaglio formation indesign supported by a level base, the latter comprising asingle piece ofmaterial, having an unbroken surface, and the whole being ofsubstantially uniform density, and a filling of different characteristics but of substantially the same density fillin the intaglio formationand inseparably ound to and united with the raised portions of thefoundation .on the base.

3. .A sheet or layer formed of plastic material of resilient consistencyand of substan tially uniform'density throughout including a bottom thatpresents an unbroken surface, said sheet, comprising raised formationsand intaglio formations, the walls of the intaglio formations beingbounded by the raised formations and the latter being in a design of a'different thickness from the intaglio forma= tegral' with. the raisedformations and join-' ing them at the bottom thereof, and a fillingplaced in said depressions and inseparably united to the walls thereof,said filling being of different characteristics from the elevations toform a distinguishable design on one surface of the sheet.

5. A sheet or.layer formed'of plastic material of one solidsubstantially uniform density. and consistency and including an unbrokenbase havin raised portions to form a design of a di erent materialthickness from the base, said raised-portions forming depressions ofconfigurative shape in design and" constitutingthe thi portions of saidsheet, the thin and thick po tions being of substantially the samedensity toretain the configuration of the respective portions underpressure and wear.

6'. A-sheet or, layer formed of material of substantially uniformdensity'cut away at the surface and comprising .a foundation consistingof elevations and depressions, the latter having walls tapering to anarrower dimension at the bottom, and a compressed filling of acontrasting color in said dep'ressions inseparably bound and united to1t, said filling being cut-away to level it with the surface of theridges and bring out the designs formed thereby.

7. A sheet or layer formed of plastic material of substantially uniformdensity cut away at the surface and comprising a foundation having anunbroken bottom and consisting of elevations and depressions, and acompressed filling of substantially the same density as that of saidsheet and of a contrasting color or substance in said depressionsinseparably bound and united to it, said filling being cut away to levelit with the surface of said ridges and bring out the design formed inthe foundation sheet defined in regular and predetermined outline fromthe filling.

8. A sheet or layer of material of resilient consistency havingdepressions formed to a substantial depth therein, said depressionshaving tapered walls making the depressions wider at one part than atanother, and a substance of a contrasting color of substantially thesame consistency inseparably united with said sheet said sheet andfilling being cut away to provide a smooth surface. 4

9. A sheet or layer formed of plastic material of resilient consistencyand comprising a bottom of smooth, unbroken surface and an upper surfacehaving depressions formed therein with the under portion of the sheetincluding the parts between said depressions and those underlying thedepressions having substantially the same density, and a fillingmaterial located in said depres sions and of substantially the samedensity as that portion of the sheet on the sides of the depressions-10. A sheet or layer formed of plastic material of resilient consistencyand comprising a bottom of smooth, unbroken surface and an upper surfacehaving depressions, the entire body of the sheet including the portionsbetween and also portions underlying said depressions being ofsubstantially uniform density, and a material filled in said deprssionsto level the-sheets and of substantially the same uniform density assaid sheet, the whole being compressed to produce a homogeneous sheet ofsubstantially uniform density throughout its entire body.

FREDERICK W. MOORE.

